do bn plecos really need driftwood

[calfishguy]

as stated above i was wondeirng if it is crussial for my bn plecos to have some driftwood in the tank.

 

[ccross]

I've had a BN in my tank for about 6 months with no driftwood. She is alive and very healthy

 

[calfishguy]

okay thanks ive had them for about six months too. i was concerned because my lfs recently told me thet they will not survive very long without it. Turns out it's another untrained petland employee.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

They don't *need* it but definitely benefit from it. All my 5 do all day is chew on wood. I would recommend getting some. Even just a small piece.

 

[ccross]

They don't *need* it but definitely benefit from it. All my 5 do all day is chew on wood. I would recommend getting some. Even just a small piece.

I didnt know that. Can any wood be used? If not, what should I stay away from?

I have no idea how to prepare drftwood.

 

[blert]

Never kept one, but like gold nugget pleco's you need to be sure they're eating and healthy before you buy one. If they're left too long w/out wood to eat (commonly in distributor's tanks) the symbiotic bacteria that helps them digest their food dies off and then they starve.

The above quote is from a different thread.

Don't know if it applies to a BNP but I wouldn't chance it as everywhere on the 'net it states that BNPs need wood.

 

[ccross]

This is from a different thread.

Don't know if it applies to a BNP but I wouldn't chance it as everywhere on the 'net it states that BNPs need wood.

Mine actually swims to the top of the tank and steals fish pellets, takes them to the bottom and chews on them for hours at a time

Can I take any wood from out doors and treat it for my tank or does it SPECIFICALLY need to come from a lake or stream?

 

[Cichlid Kid]

I wouldnt use red oak, mountain laurel, or rhododendron. They are poisonous to most animals so i wouldn't chance it with plecos.

 

[ccross]

I wouldnt use red oak, mountain laurel, or rhododendron. They are poisonous to most animals so i wouldn't chance it with plecos.

I have lots of maple tree's. Could I use dead branches from those?

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Yep. Maple is safe but its also a softwood so good luck getting it to sink!

 

[ccross]

Yep. Maple is safe but its also a softwood so good luck getting it to sink!

Hmmm, and I suppose this is one application where Duct tape isnt an option

 

[blert]

Maple has a lot of sap (mmmmm, maple syrup) and that is going to funk your tank up something awful.

 

[ccross]

Maple has a lot of sap (mmmmm, maple syrup) and that is going to funk your tank up something awful.

I dont know what I'm worried about. I live on lake Ontario. I just need to go see whats washed up.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Use any hardwood without heaps of sap like evergreens. Make sure it's dead and not rotting. A bit of moss is fine and easily removed. Give it a good boil or put it through the dishwasher to kill any bugs. you can soak it to leach tannins and waterlog it or screw slate to the bottom of it to make it sink.